I have a 1997 VW Jetta and I recently hauled it via full tow dolly behind a penske truck from PA to Alabama. Now my suspension is Spongy and my brakes hardly work at all. Could there be any connection? Has anyone every had this problem? There didn‘t seem to be a problem before, and this is fairly recent and frustrating.
It should have treated the suspension as if you had driven it from PA to AL, since the suspension/steering is independent of other systems. It's very possible it was close to one of your struts time to go and this long of a trip just pushed it over. Usually use your brakes while driving and would notice any changes. So, it's possible something happened while towing (like a rock throw into a brake component) and it damaged it to where it's at now. Check your fluid level, if it's empty you will need to refill and bleed as well as check for any leaks once you have replenished the system. Also check for any obvious signs of damage to the rotors, calipers, drums (if equipped), ABS modules and inspect pads and shoes for no material or smooth appearance. It's possible a brake was locked (or became locked due to some incident while towing) and wore down or melted to the point where it doesn't work.
